Hello everyone,
I've been thinking a lot about how the internet is shifting again. Quietly, but you can feel it. We shared some social media predictions on Instagram this week, and the response confirmed something I've been sitting with: people are done with polish that has no personality behind it. They're tired of brands that feel like brands. They want something more human. More honest. More alive. Messy girl is trending and tbh, I get why.
What's working right now isn't perfection. It's presence. Showing up as a real person with a point of view, not just a logo with a content calendar. People don't just want to buy from you anymore. They want to believe you. They want to see themselves in you, and see that what you’re doing is possible for them too.
Founders and CEOs are building their personal brands alongside their companies. Not because it's trendy, but because it's necessary. Trust lives in faces, voices, opinions. When the founder shows up, the brand stops feeling like a wall you're talking at.
The thing I keep coming back to: the future of content belongs to people who are willing to be seen. Not perfectly. Just honestly.
Which leads to my WHY. Why Minding Her Own Business? What can you expect from this little corner of the internet?
Oh, and one last thing, you listening MATTERS.
Minding Her Own Business was just named #11 on Feedspot's Top 25 Best Boss Podcasts. Top 15, baby. I'm not going to pretend I played it cool when I found out, because I absolutely did not. Thank you for listening, for sharing, for being here. This one's because of you.
On another note: We are planning our first event!!!!!
We're hosting Sequins & Spuds on February 7th in New York City. Our first in-person event, and I wanted it to feel like the opposite of everything exhausting about networking. No elevator pitches. No pressure to "maximize" the room. Just good food, great conversation, a curated room of women you'll actually want to know, and maybe a reason to finally wear that outfit you've been saving.
This is for you if you're building something, craving real connection, or just want a night that's fun without being performative.
Sometimes, the most radical thing you can do is log off and show up in real life.
If you don’t want to miss this, you should save your spot, my dear.
THIS WEEK’S MOOD <3
Jumping on the Unfortunately trend…
I unfortunately have been into:
Working after hours with the laptop glow as ambiance
Coffee that's gone cold twice but we're still drinking it
Group chats that are 90% voice notes
Planning our first event and pretending we're not nervous
Embracing the messy aesthetic because perfect wasn't coming anyway
That specific kind of tired that means something's actually happening
Business & Marketing
Liquid Death proves context beats explanation. I was in stitches at this one, ladies. Referring to the “small one” over the “big one”, defying the “size matters narrative we all know circulates the group chat after a hook up. Liquid Death trusted cultural context to land the joke, turned a taboo reference into humor, and made a simple size change unforgettable.
Huda Beauty's mini powder compact is internet-famous. The tiny, purse-friendly version of their cult powder took off almost instantly. Not because it's revolutionary, but because it's practical, cute, and designed for how people actually live. Products don't need to be bigger or louder to win. Sometimes they just need to fit in your clutch, am I right?
SKIMS and Nike are expanding into footwear. When a brand owns attention, category expansion becomes inevitable. This isn't really about shoes. It's about leverage.
Culture & Lifestyle
Hailey Bieber recreated an iconic Victoria's Secret ad, and nostalgia did the heavy lifting. The Rhode Founder channeled the legendary Gisele Bündchen campaign, tapping directly into fashion memory and cultural iconography. Just goes to show that when nostalgia is done right, it doesn't feel dated. It feels timeless.
Analog is officially back, and it's about lifestyle, not nostalgia. As everything gets more digital and optimized, people are intentionally choosing analog: journaling, cooking from scratch, film photography, reading physical books, and making things with their hands. These activities demand presence, not performance. In a world obsessed with output, choosing something slow and tactile is becoming a form of luxury. What are you doing to get hands on in your life?
The valuation of TikTok's most-followed creator just blew our minds. Last week, a Hong Kong-based company announced plans to acquire a controlling stake in Khaby Lame’s business for up to $975 million in an all-stock deal. He's clearly winning in the attention economy, but here's the interesting tension: his follower count has plateaued, which raises the question of whether influence at that scale is a growth asset or a ceiling.
Tech & Leadership
Mattel introduced its first autistic Barbie. Whoa, we all have a little ‘tism in us sometimes, but this move reflects a broader shift in product design and leadership: inclusivity isn't a side conversation anymore. It's core. Brands that reflect real people, not idealized versions, build deeper trust and longer-lasting relevance.
The anti-AI aesthetic continues to rise. As AI-generated content gets cleaner and faster and more "perfect," messy, human-made content is winning attention. Imperfection is becoming a signal of authenticity. The more automated the internet gets, the more valuable realness becomes.
The end of Siri as we know it? Apple and Google think so. Apple made it official: they're partnering with Google to power future AI features, including Siri, using Google's Gemini models and cloud technology. For a company that's famously built everything in-house, this is a significant departure. Apple's statement was diplomatic: "After careful evaluation, we determined that Google's technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models." Translation: Siri needed serious help, and they finally admitted it.
The Bigger Pattern We're Watching
People want to feel something again.
I wrote a little more about this here. People want brands that actually understand culture. Founders who show up as humans. Products designed for real life. Content that doesn't feel like it was made by a committee.
The brands winning right now aren't chasing perfection. They're building connection.
That feels like a reset we all needed.
THE MHOB PODCAST
EPISODE OF THE WEEK
Listen to the full episode: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
In this conversation:
How to recognize when your traditional career isn't fully filling your cup and what to do about it without abandoning financial security.
The strategic approach to building multiple income streams - from content creation to product development - while maintaining your primary profession.
The importance of scheduling self-care like business meetings to prevent burnout before it happens, not after you crash.
How to leverage your unique professional background as your competitive advantage in saturated markets.
Have ideas for future newsletters?
Hit reply and let me know what you'd like to see! I actually reply!
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P.S. If you’re thinking “I wish my brand had content like this” good news: we can make that happen.